1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to optical interconnection networks (for optically interconnecting one or more transmitter stations with one or more receiver stations).
2. Related Art
Photonics technology could play a significant role in future telecommunications and computer switching systems within which areas there will then be a requirement for large non-blocking interconnect systems, for example, which each of say 10,000 transmitters will need to be independantly connectable to any one of 10,000 receivers. Such large systems are not presently commercially achievable by known optical switching systems. Further, small systems which can be achieved at the present time are not in general susceptible to ready expansion should new transmitters or receivers need to be added to the network.